The Sun. — London, England, 1864-04-26 00:00:00

Established 1837. B RITANNIA LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY 1, Princes-street, Bank, London. Empower , :ti by,Special Act of Parliament, 4 Vict. cap. 9. Every desralption of Life Assurance business transacted. ANDREW FRANCIS, Secretary. BONNET'S SILKS i LYON.--Every Article of commerce takes Its title either from the Inventor or - nanufacturer, and the more perfect the production the grater is the credit which attacnes to the originator. BONNET'S SILKS are said to be incapable of identifica tion in En land ; but the fallacy of such an assertion is ex pos d by the very trade mark of the firm, as exhibited by Messrs. JAY, of Regent-street. The following interwoven mark may be seen at the end ofeach piece :—" Manufacture de C. J. Bonnet et Cie., a Lyon c a Injurieux." Wear guaranteed. 'ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, Covent -garden. Yrom this t'..menntil the end of the season the will be four Opera nigiits in each week, viz., every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and at , ,rday. This Evening I Thesday), April 2 1 , will le performed (fcr the second lime these two year.; , Verdi's opera, UN CAL 1,0 IN .MASGII ERA. Amelia. Mdlle. ; Wrica, Oitn.eppini Tati, her second app: arance in England Oscar, Mdlle. Marie Battu ; Renato. Signor Graziani ; Armando, Signor Tag,liafico ; Angri, Signor Capponi ; Silvano, Signor Fal ar ; 11 o iudice, Signor Rossi ; and 11 Duca, signor Mario. Conductor, Mr. Costa. The incidental Divertissement wi 1 be supported by MdPe ilvoni and M. Desplaces. Commence at half past Eight. pit tickets, 78.; amphitheatre eta ]s, 10s. 6d., 75., and ss. ; amphitheatre. Is. 6d. Boxes, stalls, and tickets may be had at the box-offic under the portico of the theatre, which is open from ten to five, and at the principal musicsellers' and librarians•. THEA'CRE ROYAL DR U R Y-L AN E. Managers, Messrs. Edmond Falconer and Jr. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, a scene from TWELFTH NIGHT. Alter which, will be produced the Grand Stage Revival of Shak4pere's Chnnicle or Historical Play, entitled the First Part of HENRY THE FOURTH. The cast will include impersonations by those emine st trusts. Mr. PHELPS, Mr. Walter Montgomery, Mr. Walter Lacy, Mr. /I ddiso Mr. Ryder, Mr. Robert Roxby, Mr. Barrett, Mr. E Phelps, Mr. Rayner, Mr. H. Vandenhoff, Mr. 44. Belmore, Mr. Elierton, Mr. Fitzjames, Mr. Neville; Miss Edith Wynne, M ss Rose Leclercq, and Mrs. Edmund Fal coner, supported by all the Members of the Drury-lace Com pany. To conclude with AN APRIL FOOL. Mr. G. Belmore. THEATRE ROYAL H AYMARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. To-Morrow Evening, THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Messrs. Howe, Chippendale, Buckstone, Rogers, Compton, / wren, &c. ; 3lesdunes Angel, Lindley, Fitzwilliam, Snow den, &. Atter which, the new Easter piece, entitled VENUS AND ADONIS. Messrs. Compton, SVm. Farren, Coe. Are. ; Mes dames Louise Keeley, Snowden. Wright, Ho;ers, &c. . _ Commence at 7. 110 YA L PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Sole Lesee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining. 'airs EVENING, DONNA DIANA Messrs. Vinfng, 11€ rtnann Vezin, Nelson, D. FaLer, &c.; Mesdames Hermann l'ezin, C. Uarsun, Zic Alter which, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Dromios, by the Brother 3 Webb. To conclude with DRAWING-ROOMS, SECOND FLOOR, AND ATTICS. The Two ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. THIS EVENING, the performances will commence with THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR: "Messrs. Widdi corube, Garden, Moreland, and Miss E. Lavenu. Alter which, Mr. John Brougham's Original Comedy, PLAYING WITH FIRE. Messrs. J. Brouz,h,,m, Emery, Widdicomb, J. G. Shore ; Miss C. Lec:ercq, Miss lienrade, Alms Y. Leclercq; sirs. Winstanley. Doors open at 7, commence at halt-past. NEW THEATRE-It° YAL, ADELPHI.- rick. Proprietor and Mainzer. Mr. B. Webster. THIS . ,EVENING,an apropos Sketch, SHAKESPEARE'S HOUSE Messrs. J. L. Toole, It. Phillips, Stephenson. Af er which, at 8, LEAH : bliss Bateman, supported by Messrs. A. Stirling, It. Phillips, Killington, Stuart, Eburne, Stephenson ; Miss 11. Simms and Mrs. Billington. To c.,nclude with Tif E AREA BELL :11 essrs..l". L. Too7e, P. Bedford, it. Itemer, Miss Woolgar, and Mrs. IL Lewis. Commence at 7. MISS BATEMAN.—L E A H.—!'Hie EVENING and EVERY EVENING —Miss Bateman will re-appear in her great imperoonation of the Jewish ma den util further notice. In order , o give due effect p.) t..is most remarkable suc2et“ of the se..son, eatire,y new scntery by the celebrat.d artists Messrs. Dansun and ~ o ns, a :(1 Thorrips,,n. New dr, ss,2s and appo'ntin,rts have be-n prepare , i for its productioz.—N.it. In consequence of the 'ire sing and numerous applications at the Box-oill e, ar tngements have row been made by which Seats m•y be ob tained a Fortnight in Advent e. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, MY PRESERVER. fitter which, the Pa'cony Scene from ROMEO AND JULIET. MI, ses Swanborough and Wilton. Followed by the Fifth Act of MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Concluding with the Great Burlesque, ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE : Messrs. Honey, Wood, James Fenton ; ales dames Swanborough, Marie Wilton, Hughes, &c. Commence at 7. R OYAL ST. JAMES'S 'THEATRE. under the Management of 11Lr. B. WEBSTER. Crowded with rank and fashion.— The rzreatly successful new curntcly every Evening. - First w.ek of a new sensation Farce.—Mr. J. Clarke. Amongst the artists engaged will be found the popular names of Mr. Bez:jamin Webster, Mr. Charle: Mathews. Mr. Frank Matthews, Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. P4ul .1-sedford, Mr. J. Robinson, Mr, Asnley, Mr. J. Johnstone; Mrs. Char es Mathews, Miss IT rbert, Mrs Frank Matthews, Miss A. Cottrell, Miss Fanny Josephs, Miss Patti Josephs, Mis, , Wentworth, and Mrs. Stiring. EVERY EVENING, at 7. a Farce. with a new sensation, called z!,HAKE HANDS : Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. Ashley. Mr. Johnstone ; Miss Fanny Josephs and Miss Patti Josephs. At a quarter before 8, the successful new Comedy, by L. Buckingham, Esq., entitled THE SILVER LINING: 31r. (_harles Mathews, Mr. F. Robinson,• Mr. Ashley, Mr. Montague ; Mrs. Charles Mathews, Mrs. Frank Matthews, Miss A. Cottrell, and Mrs. Stirling. After which, at 10, COOL AS A CUCUMBER. Mr. Charles Mathews. To con 3lude with UNDPIR THE ROSE : Mr. Ashley and Miss A. Cottrell. Commence at 7. COALS. —The LILLESHAL L COMPANY'S COALS. Direct from their own Collieries. Marqu'ts' 26s. per ton. I Double ..21s. per ton. Top 255. „ . .193. „ Der p...........22e. „ Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De pots, Westbourne Park-road, W., and 17, South Wharf, Paddington, W. Best Coke Terms cash. JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent. 111 E THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," X Courtalning the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, san be had Every Evening of G. R. GLENIE, News AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. The Weather—Sun Office, April 26, 1864. THERMOMETER. TbJ s day at Two o'clock 53 Barometer-29.60. Wind—N.lV.; light breeze, and cloudy. 11 :MR WATER, AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS 3 )AT.—Morning, 4h. 40 m. —Afternoon, sh. Om. I o-Nor aow.-Morning, sh. 21 m. —Afternoon, sh. 20m. • . LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1864. It has long been considered a desirable thing to assimil, tte, as far as possible, the method of admini stration, throughout the three kingdoms. Ever since the fatuous union of the Parliaments, accomplished by aid of Lord CASTLEREAGH'S good offices, events have been tending more and more towards a com plete identity of government, and the removal of these local barriers which ancient custom or pre. sent indifference nity have placed in the way of that prompt and effective system of government which is what Englishmen chiefly desire to possess for t hemselves. Whatever difference of opinion there ma/ be respecting the principles of political or social ru l e, there can be little divergence in the views of those who betake themselves to the amend ment of the law, at least is the objects which they are desirous of accomplishing. All must desire, as far as practicable, to possess a simple and compre hensive legal ad ministr a tion, encumbered as little unnec essary courts and oMcial s , an d as may be with rendere d as little costly a , it is possible for such a departrrient to be. Bat however much unity there may be 'with regard to the objects to be attained, when it womes to the dt tai!a there is always plenty of room I )r difference of °Pinion. Even it persons profess a he same wishes there are alw a y s two ways of carrying them out, and accordh i gly the attempt now made to alter the admiais tration of the Chancery Court in Ireland is opposed by acme and criticised by others. Mr. O'HAGA.N'S Bill is framed upon the recommenda tions of the several commissions which have b een appointed on this subject. Ir. 18i4. it was rccona_ mended that \ he system of masters in Ireland should be abolished, and that the equity system should be tmiitni!eted to that of this country. So late as 1062 another Royal Commission came to the unanimous cent:las:on that the assimilltion of the equity jurisprudence of Ireland and England was i 1 highly desirable. The principal features of Mr. O'HAGA x's measure are the appointment of chief clerks; the abolition of the three out of the pre• sent four Masters in Chancery; the reform of process and procedure in the Irish Court of Chan cery ; and some alteration in the matter of fees and stamps. There are, of course, a great num , ber of miscellaneous details in the bill, but such are the chief outlines. It is proposed to select the chief clerks from the profession of solicitors accord ing to English custom, cr from the examiners in Chancery, whose cffices would be abolished by the bill. The latter plan would, we should consider, be the fairest, since these gentlemen will lose their present appointments through no fault of their own. The entire existing staff will according to Mr. 0 1 11AGAN be still employed, €n I no new officers Rill be created, with the exception of the Vice- Chancellor and the chief clerks. It is in tended that the Court of Equity shall consist of the three principal authorities, of the Lord Chan cellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Master of the Rolls, with two chief clerks—one for the Vice-Chancellor, one for the Master of the Rolls. In this, as will be seen, the example of England has been followed, and it is proposed to assimilate the practice, of the Irish Court to that of the Engii;h in all respects. It remains to be seen whether the measure will be passed in its entirety, or whether subsequent examination will not show some necessity for im provement or modification. Mr. WHITESIDE, no mean authority, objected to it on several grounds, and declared that it was in a great measure opposed to the beneficial changes introduced by Sir JOHN ROMILLY some years ago. The public will, pro bably, agree with the right hon. gentleman in thinking that ample time should be allowed for the consideration of a matter of such importance, effecting the:welfare and happiness of such count less numbers. Such measures cannot be hurried through Parliament without detriment to the objects which they profess to serve, and since it is a case in which, however necessary an eventual reform may be, an immediate change cannot be urgent, we trust that full and fair time will be given for the consideration and consolidation of this important legal change. One of the least obtrusive but certainly one of the most appropriate of the festivals which com memorated the birth of SHAKSPERE was the "Actor's Celebration" :tut Friday night. As the company assembled shortly after midnight it may be said that they were the first to celebrate the great occasion. The speeches were characterised with great good feeling, and it was a very pleasant idea to associate with the day that so many could sink prejudices, and banish jealousies, and come forward to do honour to the memory of the im mortal bard in a spirit worthy of the occasion. Mr. EIICKSTONE proposed "The birth of SHAKE SPERE," a suggestive subject in itself, and one which in his hands become doubly impressive. Sometimes the mere mention of ordinary everyday occurrences bring before us the relative merits and important associations of a theme more effectively than the grandest sounding words or the most high-flown phrases. Thus, when Mr. BUCKSTONE made allusion to the birth of a baby boy in the low-roofed room at Stratford-upon-Avon he put before his hearers a picture of everyday existence simple and commonplace. He then went on to trace the combination of ideas and the train of thought in connection with this event, and emphatically declared concerning the mother's feelings that she never dreamt of the immortality awaiting the little stranger, " never thought that that boy would not be of any age but of all time-- that he who could but murmur inarticulate sounds would live to give a petic and lasting lustre to the English tongue it had never known before, and bequeath to England • those imperishable plays that have made our country's drama the noblest in the world." Such thoteghte are worthy the occasion for whi:a t th e y were uttered, and reflect great credit 01:1 him who so skilfully, yet so simply, put tt ..em forward. 1.7, te, indeed, most appropriate to consider the thank that would have existed in our language and lit erature had this infant Dever appeared on the scene , or never lived to strut his hour on the st age o f lif e. Mr. Buclis:zoNit was also very happy in his allu sion to 'the unity that app eere d among t h e company, and the large gathering of English actors was, in eieed, a good offering to lay at the shrine before which all were to bow in reverent homage and wor ship in proud devotion. It was an assembly the like of which had never been before, and certainly a better occasion could not have been found for it. There is nothing more delightful than to witness unity reigning among a band of workers. It is, however, well known that from various unhappy causes the actors, as a body, have never heartily co operated with each other or harmoniously consorted in large bodies. This has been a bright except:on to a rule that it was most desirable to break, and it must be remarked that the unity which reigned paramount on this festive occasion, found a striking contrast to the want of goodwill and the lack of cordiality which have appeared in some other ar rangements that were made far the same great oc casion. Mr. WEBSTER'S speech on the "Immortal Memory of Shakspere" was very excellent and en tirely imbued with the sentiments most fitted for the theme. When he said that the " kingdom of genius is the greatest inheritance on earth," he spoke of a truth which cannot be too fully recoge nised, and he gave a glorious illustration in the hero of the hour. What King ever sat in such state as SHAKSPERE enthroned in the hearts of all man kind ? This is the true way to look oa such a subject, and the real and right appreciation of him who was indeed " a dear son of memory and a great heir of fame." It is a welcome sight amid the tur moils of existence to notice these little landmarks on the way-side, which serve to refresh and reanie mate the pilgrim in his course. A meeting like that referred to is a most delightful retrospect, and one that does honour to all concerned. Long will it live in the thoughts and recollections of those who were there, and it is to be trusted that the spirit of unity which then prevailed may live on now the occasion is over, and thus form a most graceful testimony to the influence of the great departed. If so, a very appropriate recollection will be kept of the time, and the most enduring memory will illumiue the associations of "The hallowed morn when WILL was born In the spring time of the year." In the sixtenth century, when the population of Europe was becoming very considerable, and the forests of necessity gradually fading away, those who took the trouble of considering the possible position of after generations vere sorely puzzled as to what they would do for fuel. Although the existence of coal was well known, and its inflammable properties understood, it was never supposed that it could be procured in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of an ever-increasing population. That era passed away, the world seemed to be pro vided with an inexhaustible supply of fuel. Again a doult arose, steam machinery and manufactures so increased the demand for the article, that in spite of all the improvements in r&ning that science could brin g to b ear, doubts were entertained as to eutEeient coal t o meet the poseibiloy of precut jog THE SUN, LONDON,r 7 TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 1864. the general demand. In fact, geologists have taken the trouble to calculate the probable extent of the coal fields both of this country and the continent of Europe, and have even fixed the period when they will be exhausted. We are allvery clever in our own generation, but we know not what the morrow will bring forth; while the sages have been puzzling their heads to find a substitute for coal for their grandchildren's great grandchildren, accident has solved the problem. Petroleum, which was disco• vered in North America, springing up from the earth, is an oil of a highly inflam mable nature, in fact it is of so gaseous a nature that, like all mineral oils, it is liable to explode when heated. As a matter of course, as soon as :he existence of this oil was discovered, companies were formed io " work it," and wells were sunk in favourable localities, to tap, as it were, Nature's head. Indeed some of these ventures were so suc cessful that the workmen stood aghast at the results of their own handiwork, for having struck the vein or artery, or whatever it is called, the oil rushed up to the surface with sach force, and in such quan tities that it was impossible to secure it, and hun dreds and thousands of gallons ran to waste. Petro leum oil has now become a staple of trade, and large quantities are regularly imported into this country. There is, therefore, a very possible sub stitute for coal for our successors. The extent of the supply is, of course, yet hidden from us; but as we cannot fix a limit, we may safely leave the con sideration of that question to future generations. The American Government, ever alive to the re quirements of the moment, have instituted a com mission to consider whether petroleum oil can be made available for the generation of steam. This committee, in a preliminary report, have informed the United States Government that petroleum oil possesses double the belting power of coal, can be stored in far less space, and is of proportionable lees specific gravity ; but they have not yet ex pressed their opinion on its adaptability for marine engines, wishing to verify their theories by experiment before presenting their report. Petro leum oil is produced in large quantities in Canada It is surely of as mull importance to this country as to America to provide her ships with the most available fuel which can be procured. The Ameri cans are endeavouring to counteract the dangerous elements of this new oil, and render it available for their steamers. Why should not the British Admi ralty set experiments on foot to arrive at a similar result. Surely we are not to wait until a foreign Government has made a discovery and turned it to advantage, before we set about working for our selves. In justice to the Board of Admiralty, we must say that they have shown more alacrity in taking up the twin screw system than has hereto fore characterised their movements. A new launch is being built for the Bombay, fitted with two screws. Now the drawback to providing ships with steam power is the difficulty found in stowing sufficient coals for a cruise of any length of time ; but if petroleum oil could be substituted, a ship could not only carry four times the quantity of fuel which she can at present, but her speed might be materially augmented. At all events the experiment is worth trying. The objection which will naturally be raised against the substitution of petroleum oil for coals in ships is its inflammable nature and the possibility of explosion. This may no doubt be hereafter provided against, but until that time comes, there can be no harm in trying the experiment upon a few ships' launches, when, in case of any accident, the boat's crew could pitch the whole cargo overboard in a few minutes. In these go-ahead times England ought not to watch the march of progress, but to lead it. PRINCESS'S THEATT .E. RE -APPE ANCE r of STELLA COLAS. A brilliant audience assembled last evening to welcome Mdlle. Stella las back to the metropolis. The highly sifted laci../ made her re-appearance as Juliet, and her whole Pe ll :annum more than confirmed the high opinion we ex pressed of her abilities last season. She is, in fact, the only Juliet that has appeared since the days of Miss O'Neil, be cause we have, in Mdlle. Colas, youth and beauty, accom • panied by every elegance of art, heightened by a keen and perceptive intelligence, and united with a reverence for the majestic words and thoughts of her incomparable and im. mortal author. Honour, high honour to the lady, for though she speaks every line in the text, she delivers them with such grace, taste, and pathos that those which have been looked upon by others as deformities at her hands be come beauties that glitter as they fall. Her foreign tour has somewhat matured her juvenile appearance and strengthened her in health ; but in other respects her acting, if any, is rather increased than diminished in finish and effect. In Mdlle. Colas we have an actress gifted with a ' vivid, intense, and apprehensive imagination, one intent on giving meaning and intensity to every epithet, and if in rare instances she fails to charm the ear, it is through no fault of her own, but wholly, solely, and entirely through that which Lime and only time may in some degree efface--viz., her inability to pronounce the English Language. It is, however, wonderful that the lady succeeds so well, but if it were otherwise, we are amongst those who would gladly accept her Juliet, because were we to get the pure accent in another, most certainly we should not have a creation half as sweet, gentle, beautiful, and womanly as that of Stella Collar. The balcony scene again created all that enthusiasm and admiration it evoked on her first; ap pearance, and in truth, it must be said, she held her and f ence as spell-bound as her lover Romeo. Her appearance as she breaks through the rosy trellis work to feast her eyes upon her lover was a striking and masterly performance, and one that will long remain impressed upon the memory of every person present. Then, again, her girlish im patience to hear the result of the Nurse's mission to her lover was another fine effect, but the scene in which her acting rises to perfection, is that in which she listens to the project of Friar Lawrence to save her from her hated union with Paris. The applause which followed this fine dramatic effort was immense, and never was the unstinted approbation more richly deserved. We can only sum up our admiration by saying that the Juliet of Madlle. Colas is a performance that every lover of Shakspere must witness. We shall not attempt to record the number of "calls" the lady received during her arduous performance, but had they been tenfold she wculd have de served them all. Mrs. H. Marston's Nurse was worthy of high commendation, but the lady has perception and ability, and therefore she invariably identifies herself with any part she is called upon to sustain. The Mercutio of Mr. Vining has become rather too boisterous. A little moderation would undoubtedly improve it, though yet withal it is a praiseworthy performance. Mr. J. Nelson's Romeo was a complete and utter failure; it was singularly deficient in caste, feeling, and discrimination, and proved most unmis takably that Shakspere is far beyond this gentleman's reach. One would have thought that with such a Julie t some sort of warmth of feeling might have been awakened ; but not in one instance did Mr. Nelson respond to the impassioned and loving outpouring of the sweet and gentle d uliet. Mr. Mellon's Capulet was absurdly ridiculous; and as to Mr. Seyton's Tybalt, it resembled the ravings of a lunatic rather than that of a Venetian gentleman. Mr. Forrester's Friar Law rence was passable, and the same may be said of Mr. D. Fisher's Peter; but certainly the most artistic perform• ance, amongst the male parts, was the Apothecary of Mr. It. Cathcart. The tragedy is to be repeated alternately with Mr. Westland Marston'a successful comedy, "Donna Diana," in which Mr. and Mrs. Vezin appear. THE KING OF WURTEMBURG has given Stutt gardt a zoological gardens and acclimatisation garden, and a grant of X 12,500. A LUXURIOUS RAILWAT CARRIAGE.—The Great Eastern Railway Company have just built a magnificent carriage for the use of the Prince and Princess of Watas in journeying to and from Sandringham, The interior is divided into three compartments—ante-room, saloon, and sitting-room. The length of the saloon, which is the cen tral compartment of the carriage, is 12 feet 6 inches, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. Lit EUTEE'S TELEGRAMS.] GENERAL GARIBALDI. PLYMOUTH, TUESDAY, 10.30. A.M. Mr. Norrington, Mayor of Plymouth, and the Deputation, have gone down to Penquite to present the Address from the inhabitants to Garibaldi. The presentation will take place at 1 o'clock, by appointment of the General. THE CONFERENCE. The Memorial Diplontatique and the other Paris papers give the following as the basis for delibera sion which Austria, Prussia, and the German Con federation propose to bring forward at the Con ference now sitting ; " Integrity of the Danish Monarchy ; " Political and administrative autonomy of the Duchies ; " Maintenance of their union in ono mingle State (nexus socialis); " Rendsburg to be made a German Federal fortress as a guarantee for the autonomy and in divisibility of the Duchies." THE WAR IN DENMARK. BERLIN, April 25. Yesterday at 12.45 a.m., an engagement took place off the coast of Rugen Island, within view of the Post-house of Wittow, between a Pluisian gun boat and te Danish ironclad frigate Fordenskiold. The Danish frigate sailed cff, pursued by nine slow sailing Prussian boats, which failed to over take her. The Poidenskiold was, however, subsequently overtaken by the Mille and set cn fi:e, bat the Danes eneeeedei in extinguishing the flames. The Minister of Public Worship has sent Privy Councillor Stiehl to Schleswig to inquire into the condition and wants of the school system in that Duchy. THE PRINCIPALITIES. BUCHAREST, APRIL 25. The Chamber, after having passed this month all the bills presented by the Government, and recently given the latter a vote of confidence-- to-day passed a vote of censure upon the Govern. ment for the introduction of a rural bill rendering all the peasants landed proprietors. FRANCE. BOURSE, April 25.—The market has been very heavy, and prices show a slight decline, Threes, for the Account, being now at 66e. 90e. Mobilier has receded to 1,190 f. Railway Market quiet, but with prices pretty well maintained. The market closed as follows : 4t per Cents 94 Italian Loan 6B 50 Do. end month.... Do. end month 6B 70 3 per Cents Do. end month.... 66 85 Do. end month Credit Mobilier.... 1185 I Russian . Do. end m0nth....1185 Austrian .. Bl 60 Bank Shares 3400 Spanish Threes.... Credit Fonder Home Debt ...... 4, a Roman 13A 1.14 IVA YB. Cari , ount. Orleans BB6 b A 25 B cc oo Northern Lyona and Mediterranean 946 25 .. '947 50 New ditto 895 Southern Western 504 50 .. 5J5 Eastern .• • . ... Sardinian 372 50 368 7, 5 Austrian Lorrbsrd North of Spain .. 492 50 Saragossa 575 575 "'Ditto to Barcelo na • • LAW INTELLIGE , Th • Day.) COU -AT OF BANKRUPTCY. Th' IN RE DOBSON. —a bankrupt had carried on a very extensive business as a lime merchant in Great St. Helen's and Kingston-on- Hull, against whom a petition in bankruptcy was filed a short time since, but the creditors afterwards passed a re solution to wind up the affiirs out of court. An application was now made for an order for the bankrupt to furnish cer tain accounts to enable the trustees to carry out the object, and tha bankrupt consenting the order was made. RE ROSINS AND PRIEST., Mr. Commissioner Fane was occupied hearing further evidence in the case of these bankrupts, auctioneers in St. Martin's-lane, and the case was proceeding. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day. THAMES. A SAVAGE.—SImueI Wells, a lighterman, was brought before Mr. &get, charged with violently and cruelly assaulting Sarah Wells, his wife, and Sarah Cashon, her mother. The prisoner has been married to his wife 13 months. They cohabited with each other before marriage, and have one child nine month's old. The prisoner is very jeaLus of his wiie, and, like all jealous men, had accused her o infidelity and other offences of which sha was entirely innocent. He beat her and blackened her eyes six weeks after the birth of his child. He had beaten her on other occasions. He was in the practice of calling her very hard names, of threatening her, and being very tyrannical towards her. He came home last night, and after a good deal of abuse and bad language, he beat his wife and struck her on the head with his clenched fist. Mrs Cashon, her mother, went to her assistance, and the brutal ruff in kicked her on the stomach and then seized her arm and twisted it. The poor woman was put to great pain and inconvenience, and complained of the pain she was enduring while giving her evidence. The wife sup ported herself and child, and wanted no assistance from her husband. Both women declared their lives were in danger. Mr Paget said the prisoner had been guilty of great vio lence and brutality to his wife and mother-in-law, and was not fit to be at large. He sentenced the prisoner to four months' imprisonment and hard labour. MARKETS ..This Day. HAY MAIIK2ITS. SMITTIFIELD.-31eadow hay, £3 Os to £4 158 Od; clover, £4 Os to £5 15s Od; and straw, £1 5s to £1 12s per load, Trade firm. CUMBERLAND..—Meadow hay ' £4 Os to £5 15s Od ; an d straw, I 1 58 to £ 1 15 s p er load. A steady demand. WHITECHAPEL - -Meadow hay, £3 Os to £ 4 15 s ; clover £4 Os to £5 1580 d; a n d s t raw , £1 53 to £ 1 15s p er load, Supply moderate. £3 Os to £4 1 58 O d ;clove!, COLONIAL. ----- TEA.—Business has been moderately active, and good and fine qualities have fully sustained former rates. SUGAR.—The market has remained rather dull, although full prices are current for good grocery descriptions. In the refined there is very little change to report. COPFEE.—There has been a very limited inquiry for colonial, and quotations are in most instances a shade flatter. _______ RlCE.—Only a limited amount of business has been re ported at about late rates. spot i s quoted 4 0 s to 408 3 d, TALLOW.—Busin ess h as b een ver y dull, and owing to the large stocks on h an d pr i ces have e xhibited a downward tendency. P.Y.C. on t h e and for last three mon th s ' 43 s 6d p e r cwt. COAL MARKET. FriOes of Coal per Ton at tno close of the market. P. d. Eden Main...... Hastings Hartley l6 9 Holywell ..17 9 Cowpen Hartley 16 9 North. Melton Gas 13 0 Walker Primrose 13 0 a. 0. Walls End. East Hartlepool 20 0 Hatton l9 9 Harton 17 6 Riddell 17 6 Ships at markoi Walls End. [l o ugh Hall 18 6 S ou th Kelloe .. lB 6 Ha5we11...... ...19 6 Framwellgate ... 17 6 South Hetton .. 20 0 S tow art's 19 6 Caradoc l9 6 Cassop ...... .... 1 3 Hartlepool 20 0 Tanga ll Braddyll's Hetton 18 3 u, 59 ; sold, 44. The American papers announce the death of Mr. W. D. Ticknor, the well know Boston publisher. A young Irishman, named Waters, was shot dead in the streets of New York, the other day, while attempting to desert. AMERICAN FUNERAL.—An American paper gives an account of the funeral of the wife of General Beauregard, and says :—" After Catholic service at the house, the Cody was to be carried to the family tomb of the Des London, on their plantation, some 30 miles above New Orleans. When the cc ffia was placed on the magnificent funeral car, the procession was formed of women. It was a mile long. Not a carriage was allowed, and the first ladies in Net. Orleans walked in procession to the boat, They were the very elite of the city. There was scarcely a man in the procession—there were many present, bat they walked apart." LITERATURE, George Meredith's New Work, Emilia in England. By George Meredith. Three vols. Chapman and Hall. "Emilia in England" is a book to be read with a relish. It is flavoured with the salt of wit. It is the work of a true Artist, and—better still than that, according to our notion of things—it is the work of a genuine and delightful Humorist. For, very cordially indeed do we go with our author himself where he insists—be is deneant hag at the moment upon The Pitfall of Senti ment—that men is, par excellence, the ihaegbinre Animal : "and," says he, "at tho end of an infinite search, the philoTher finds himself clinging to laughter as the beet Of human fruit., purely human, an 6 " 1 ", end eernretting," Nay, we are fain to ch-4,indu cur (potation with a ery especial ° ' - e vr,cv,ion of the weitnl s e words to hireheelf, 4 ' So, let as be hordially thankful to those [George Afercilith is assuredly one of them] who furniets matter for sound, embracing laughter." It is some few years ago, new, since the writer of these three volumes first took oer admiration by storm with a beret of this very laughter—sound and embracing —purely human, sod sane, and corn felting. Tele, namely, was when he made his first appearance es a Humorist, hearing in his hand the strangest, wildest, most fatitaetit apologne that surely mortal men ever onCeived, to wit, " The Shaving of Shagnaeh--hight an Arabian (cer tainly, judging from our own experiences, a tho roughly English) Entertainment. Since then the author of that "Shaving of Shagpat" has made More signal and conspicuous advances in the cultivation of se hat is, at one, hit tare art and his rare gift as a Humorist then even his most sanguine, or rather, it eheald rattier be said, his most confiding appre ciators could at the outset have arttitipateds His audience, probably, even new, is rather select than wide—but it will widen! As surely, indeed, as his own human sympathies and, for that matter also ] his own highly cultivated intelleetnal ewers, have all this while been wiftenEng into a fuller and more perfect mastery over his art as a Novelist. Among the most original writers of fiction Eta our time—an age, too, notable for its great novelists—Mr, Meredith, though we believe one of the youngest, certainly one of the latest comers amongst them, has already assumed to himself a distinguished peoltiou.—ane that, estimated by the Mere fete of its advance, ap pears to be actothrg for him the certainty of a per manent reputetion in our literature. Among our Younger writers we know not seycn e Whb applies himself to the celtitatien and development of hie powers mere thoroughly or, we might even say it, mere conscientiously. As yet, each work of his has been an improvement upon its predecessor. And that of itself, surely, is emelething. That of itself is an attestation that the author, iu his character as an Artist, is perpetually bent upon applying his powers to the utmost possible advantage—so writing throughout that ha, himself, is manifestly the most fastidious of his critics. Stage by stage in the onward progress of his career as Novelist, he has so unmistakably risen, by steadily pursuing the road he, himself, at the outset deli berately selected as the one he would traverse . oy preference, that at each pause, so to speak, two indications of the ascent are distinctly appre ciable—a purer atmosphere is breathed, and the horizon is enlarged. Tierce by three, Mr. Meredith has already in a very few years contributed nine volumes to our imaginative literature. And nine volumes, not merely of story, but of literature. "The Ordeal of Richard Feverell" was, after its fashion, as much of an advance upon "The Shaving of Shagpsf ' as the history of the Ordeal itself was surpassed in human scope, so to steak, and diversify of character by the record of the adventures (in semen' of a position) experienced by Evan Harring ton, or rather, by Evan's three aspiring sisters, the most aspiring amongst them all being that won derful creature, the Countess. Here, again, in his new work of fiction, " Emilia in England,' Mr. Meredith appears to us to have advanced far beyond the position he assumed as the writer of Evan Harrington." Strangely enough, as in that novel, Three Sisters, though none of them the Heroine of the tale, are conspicuous among the foremost of the female characters introduced. Three sisters, they are, moreover, who, like those of Evau Harrington, are yearning body and soul to rise in life —that is, in social position. Other wise, however, the two works are as entirely different as can well be im agined. Emilia Belloni—in some respects the most admirable creature of George Meredith's imagina tion—is as far beyond Ruse Jocelyn, as a heroine as the took itself, "Emilia in England," as a work of art, surpasses " Evan Harington." Here, in " Emilia in England," the Mime? Pole are the three sisters—Pole, Polar, and North Pole, as they are not unwilling themselves to be designated— Pole, Polony, and Maypole, as they are cruelly dubbed to their exceerLing anguish by those vexa tious neighbours of tteirs, the Tiusleys—horrid vulgarians ! They, the Poles, that is, are the daughters of a City of London Merchant, about whose solvency the reader is kept in doubt— sometimes even (in the very crises of the story) in a very agony of doubt—throughout the narrative. Wilfrid, the only son of this Merchant-Prince, or Merchant-Beggar (we hardly know which it is to be until the very end), is the Young Lover of the story—the lover, that is, of Emilia Belloni, the Emilia who is in England. He is the lover also of Lady Charlotte. In other words, he is, all through the work, a sort of a young Macheath of a Guards man—and you feel, alternately, as you read about his loves and bewilderments, " how happy could he be with either, were t'other dear charmer away." Now protesting his passion for Emilia, now for Lady Charlotte. As to his sisters, again —each of them has a story, a love -story or a flirtation of her own, Cornelia, Arabella, and Adele. A sentimental Baro net is refrigerated by the first of them (the North Pole) into suicide. The other two find their coquet ries terminate without even the questionable result in either instance, of a long engagement. The broader fun of the story is derived from the ape pe,arances put in, every now and then, all through the three volumes by a Greek lunatic about music, one Mr. Pericles, and a wonderful Irish widow (the broad comedy of the book), one Mrs. Chump. A good-natured, fat, vulgar specimen of a genuine Celtic parvenu, talking (so capitally!) not simply Irish, but as Adele wickedly exclaims, in an agony of sham© Irish steeped in brine— pickled Irish ! Here is a momentary glimpse of the bitter anguish of suppressed laughter that poor little Mrs. Lupin (who is afflicted with an intense sense of the ludicrous) is subjected to (before company) by the absurdities of Mrs. Chump and her stupendous dialect! " The poor lady was affected so keenly that, in instances where one of her sex and position in the social scale is bound to perish I rather than let even the shadow of a laugh appear, or any sign of fleshly perception or sympathy peep out, she was seen to be mutely, shockingly, penitentially convulsed—a degrading sight." Excellent is the covert drollery dexterously kept up by . our author all through the work, like a very fluttering shuttlecock of ridicule, about the Nice Feelings and the Fine Shades. His affected alter cation, too, with that other (inner) self of his, The Philosopher,is in its wayasornethingquiteinimitable! But, as exemplars of George Meredith at his very best as a Humorist, commend us to those glorious, side-splitting delineations by him of the beery , clubmen down at Brookfield—to his delightful re pore of Torn Breaks' effort at oratory—to his report of Tom's strenuous but futile:attempt to lug in by the head and shoulders the application of the apologue of the Bundie of Sticks, or finally to his Homeric account of Tom's having led on against him and his followers, later on, upon that same day, of the rival clubmen, thoss irate clubmen, who sally forth to indulge the foe with a tastelof music to the tune, as one of them comically puts it, of "whack fol lol!" Mr. Meredith, too, is wonderfully worth while listening to when he is gravely descanting upon the Virtues Residing in a Tail Coat, or indulg ing in a philosophical disquisition upon the diverse modes of wearing a hat ! Some, at least, among these most exOiterating indications of his rare powers as a humorist, we must needs transfer to our columns, if only as E 4 whiff of the laughing gas hem stored up in as marvellous abundance, considering the narrowness of the space, as even the bulk of the Geni who was stowed away in the brass pot fished up out of the great deep by the Arabian fisherman. Here then is a fragment of the record preserved to:us by Mr. Meredith :in regard to— Tom Breeka stuck in the mud with the Bundle of Sticks ! A cry of "Bundle o' sticks, Tom Breeks. Don't let slip 'bout bundle o' sticks," pulled spokesman up short. He turned hurriedly to say, "All right," and inflated his chest to do justice to the illustration of the faggots of JEsop ; but Mr, Tom Breek3 had either taken in too much etc - ) hi* the ale tliat had hitherto successfully prompted him was antipathetic to the nits dellcaby of an apologae; for 110 w Arit began to work and his forehead had to be hopped, and he lashed the words "Union and Harmony" right and left, until, coming on a sentence that sounded in his cars like the close of his speech, he Atared alicad ) with a dim idea that he had missed a point. "Bundle o' sticks," lustily shettted, reeived his apprehensicn but the sole Act was to mane him 'ook on the ground and lift his hat on the point of a perplexed finger. Ho could not conceive how the bundle of sticks was to be brought in now ; or what to say concerning them. Union and Harmony : what more Could be stud P Mr. Tom Breeks tried a re monstrance with his backers. He declared to them that ho had fl fished, and had brought in the Bundle. They replied that they had not heard it; that the Bundle was the foundation-sentiment of the Club ; the first sentiment after the Crown; and that he mtist go on till the Bundle had been brought in. Hereat, the unhappy man faced Squire Pole again. It was too abject a position for an English man to endure. Torn Breeks cast his hat to earth, " I'm dashed if I can bring in the Bundle I" Hardly anyone who has not read the the context can conjcct ore the fun there is, moreover—the rare, bright-eyed fun sunning every syllable of the fol lowing record by our novelist of the way in which the rival club carry off, with cheers, end a march, and an impromptu parody, the sense of having been outwitted by Torn Breeks and his fellows; outwitte that ig in obtaining largess (othel Wise beer money) from Mr. Pole on the lawn at flrookfield. Uncon scious of having been anticicipated or forestalled— Their case was stated : whereupon Mr. Pole told them that he had just been "milked," and regretted it, hilt r`ce quested them to see that he could not possibly be equal to atiY second proceeding of the sort. On their turning to consult together ? he advised there to bear it with fortitude. "All right ) sir !" they said i and a voice from the ranks informed him that their word was " Jolly." Then a signal was given, and these indomitable fellows cheered the lord of Brookfield as lustily as if they had accomplished the feat of milking him twice in an hour. Their lively hurrahs set him blinking in extreme discomposure of spirit, and he was fumbling at hIS pocket, when the drum a little precipitately thumped : the ranks fell into order,•and the departure was led by the tune of the "King of the Cannibal Islands :" a tune that is certain to create a chorus on the march. On this occasion ) the line ; "Oh I didn't you know you were done, sir!" became general at the winding up of the tune. Boys with their elders frisked as they chimed it, casting an emphasis of infinite relish on the dec!aration "done ;" as if they de lighted in applying it to Mr. role, though at their own expense. Soon a verse grew up : " We march'd and call'd on Mister Pole, Who hadn't a penny, upon his soul, For Ipley came and took the whole, And didn't you know you were done, sir I'' I need not point out to the sagacious that Bill:ord and not Mr. Pole had been " done ;" but this was the genius of the men who transferred the opprobrium to him, Never theless, th. ugh their manner of welcoming misfortune was such, I, knowing that there is not a deadlier animal than a "done" Briton, have shudders for Ipley, Apart from the delightful atmosphere breathed through the whole story—its pervading atmo spere, that is of the racily, refreshingly, hilariously, genially, irresistib)y humorous—the tale has many subtle beauties of its own that will cause " Etnilia in England" to live long in its reader's recollection. Emilia's one rare and priceless gift, her Voice, is therein for one thing most exquisitely celebrated. And so for that mat ter, in the third volume, is her ripened beauty, more especially where she is described as perfecting that loveliness of hers by donning the purple velvet dress in which the natural glory of her beauty became yet further glorified by art ! We commend the portraiture of her in that dress to some one (MOOR our Master Painters, to some one amongst them, that is, who has a subtler sense than the rest of consummate Beauty whether of Colour, Form, or Expression. It is suggestive of a com panion picture to the late Augustus Egg's glowing delineation of Esmond girded with the scarf by the Beatrix of Thackeray. As we close "Emilia in England—the last volume of which appears to us, by the way, wonderfully inferior in every respect (among other things, for example, in the construction of the plot and in the very style of the writing) to both the first or the second—as we close the book we count upon a sequel to it. By the whole con struction of the story, indeed, we cannot but think that a sequel to it is, we might even go so far as to say, just absolutely necessitated. And we cer tainly shall look for that sequel at the hands of Mr. Meredith. Daring the last few days there has not been much animation in the Foreign and Colonial Produce Markets. Sugar, however, has fully supported previous prices; coffee, on the other hand, has been at rather lower rates, owing to the large arrivals. In rice, fruit, and spices, there has been an average amount of business reported, without any material change in prices, while in tallow business has been inactive, and quotations for both present and for ward delivery show a downward tendency. The demand for monetary accommodation has been slightly increased to•day by the arrangements in preparation for the approaching settlement at the Stock Exchange. The supply of floating capital in the open market is, however, well maintained, and the rates therefore continue at 6 per cent, for the negotiation of the best shor► dated securities. About 60,000 sovereigns were withdrawn from the Bank yesterday for transmission to Alexandria. Tom BROWN FOR FINSBURY.—We u❑dersta❑d that a number of the electors of Finsbury, a borough which Rill be vacated by Sir Morton Peto's retire men,, have requested Mr. Hughes to stand on the Liberal side. If the statement is true it will be the most creditable thing the borough has done for years, for Mr. Hughes will neither job for the electors, latter thtm, nor swallow their pledges. He is a strong Liberal, or rather. Radical—one o those who think that our next business is to fight pauperism, and a man with a real care for the working classes, if Finsbury has the intelligence to accept such a nomination, and send " Tom Brown" to Parliament, it will have done at least something to wards making educated men believe that big boroughs know how to choose represen tatives.—Spectator. On the morning of the deport are of the Emperor and Empress of Mexico from Rome, the Pope con ferred on the latter the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX. The Emperor gave the Mexican Order of Notre-Dame de Guadelupe to General de Monte bello. The Emperor has received a letter from the Queen of Spain, notifying the death of her nephew, the Infante Don Felipe Ramon-Marie, son of the Duke and Duchess de rvlontpensier. TRIALS ON CHARGES OF MURDER AT GLASGOW.— On Saturday, at the Glasgow Circuit Court, Lord Deas presiding, an Irishman named John Riley was charged with murder. It appeared that on the night of Monday, the 17th December last, on the Biggar-road, in the parish of Bothwell, the prisoner assaulted Nancy Stevens, or Laffy wife of Thomas Laffy, collier, residing at Legbrannock, in the parish of Bothwell, and with a wooden stake or stone, struck her a number of severe blows on the head, face, neck, chest, hands, and arms, and threw her on the ground and kicked her with his feet. He then thrust a piece of wood several times into her person. She died in conse quence of her irjurics. The prisoner, in a firm yoice, pleaded not guilty, and a jury being empannelled the case went to trial. The prisoner was defended by Mr. C. T. Couper and Mr. Crawford. After a trial which listed from 10 in the forenoon till about 10 minutes past one on Sunday morning, the jury returned with a verdict finding by a majority the prisoner guilty as charged. Sentence was delayed. At the same court, on Saturday, Lord Neaves presiding, a joiner named Peter Blair was accused of murder. On Tuesday, Feb. 23 last, in Maitland-street, Cowcaddens, he assaulted Jessie Noble, or Gordon, or Blair, then residing with him in Debbie's Loan, and with a knife stabbed her on the left side of her neck and right shoulder; she was mortally wounded, and imme diately, or soon thereafter, died. The prisoner, who pleaded Not Guilty, was defended by Thos. Watson, een., and Mr. Wra. Inglis, jun, After a lengthened trial the jury re turned a verdict unanimously fading the prisoner guilty of culpable homicide, and he was sc , atcnced to 15 ; 7 - ears' penal servitude. Cifirrt HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, April 25. The Queen walked and drove in the grounds this morning. To-day is the birthday of her Royal liighne ss Princess Louis of Hesse. The Earl of Clarendon has returned to London. -0- The Duka and Duchess of Northumberland h ave deferred their departure fromAlnwick Castle, land, far a few days in consequence of the noble duke havirg been suddenly taken by an attack of gout. The Duke and Duch,-Ss cif Argyll arrived at their villa at CampLie%-hill yesterday from visit:rig 11° Duchess (DJwagor) of Swherland at Cliefdtn, near Maiden head, The Duchess of Somerset and Lady GArendolin Somerset arrived at the First Lord's official residenc e at the Admiralty yesterday afternoon from Bulstrode park, Bucks. —Northumber. The Duchess of Sutherland returned to Stefford House last evening from Cliefden, the Duchess (Dowage r) of Sutherland's seat, near Maidenhead, Yeaterlay evening Baron de Biegelben, the re . presentative of Austria, arrived at Claridge's Hotel, in orde r to attend the Conference. The Earl and Countess of Erne have arrived i ll Eaton-square from the Continent. The Earl and Countess of Gosford entertained at dinner on Friday, the 22d inst., Lady Charlotte Denison, Countess of Tankerville, Earl and Countess of Leicester. Ladies Coke (2), Hon. Miss Ellis, Marquis of °mode' Earl of Tyrone, Viscount Powersconrt, Lord Kensington' the Hon. Lieut.-General Ashburnham, the Hon. Charles Clements, &c. Her ladyship received a small party a fter dinner. The Earl and Countess of Yarborough bave arrivod in Arlington-street, Piccadilly, from their ogo t i Brocklesby Park, Lincolnshire. Viscountess Palmerston will have a reception 011 Saturday evening next at Cambridge House. Viscount and Viscountess Castlerme and fatril have arrived at Eaton place for the season. Lord and Lady Tredegar have arrived t►t their residence in Portman-square from Tredegar Perks Monmouthshire. Lord Houghton has returned to London from tour in Northern Italy. Lady Macdonald Lockhart and family have ar rived in Grosvenor-crescent from Lee Castle, Lanark, N,B. Mr. and Lady Mary Craven have left Thotnas'i4 Hotel, Berkeley-square, for Newmarket. Sir Francis and Lady Stapleton and the Miss 29 Stapleton have arrived at Thomas's Hotel, Berkeler square. Sir George and Lady Jenkinson have arrived at 44, Bryanston-spare, from their seat, Eastwood • park, Gloucestershire. The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exche quer and Mrs. W. E. Gladstone returned to their residence on Carlton-house terrace, yesterday fore noon, from staying during the visit of General Garibaldi at the Duchess (Dowager) of Sutherland's seat, C itiden, near Maidenhead. THE PRINCESS LOUISE OF WIED died at Neuwied on the is h, at the advanced age of ninety-two I THE EX-PREMIER, THE EARL OF DERBY, K. 0 ,9 was, on Saturday last, elected President of the Royal Com mission for the Exhibition of 1851, in place of the tats Prince Consort. THE MARQUIS OF EXETER, on the 19th of Mayt will entertain 1,000 volunteers of Northampton, at Burghley Yark. Mr. Alfred Wigan as Hamlet, The Liverpool Daily Post publishes the following criticism on Mr. Wigan's impersonation of Hamlet at the I'rinee of Wales's Theatre, Liverpool, oil Friday night—'. While Mr. Wigan's Hanilet must necessarily, like all others, fall short of one's ideal, there are scarcsly any that can contest the puha with it. It was once said by a clever periodical critic in the New York ' Vanity Fair' that to play comedy well a man should be a tragedian. The saying seems a paradox, but it is not far from the truth ; and as a companion to it, we assert without qualification that no mere tragedian can touch the part of Hamlet, and that an excellent comedian has some of the prime essentials for distinction in it. Hamlet is the glass of fashion and the mould of form. He is pleasant with those before whom he does not affect madness, and jocose even with those la hew he would deceive into thinking him insane. lie is significantly respectful to his stepfather, sincerely tender to his mother. Even the poor players find in him a cheerful and chatty friend, and even the sneakishness of Rosencrantz and Guildenstein does not provoke him unto unkindness towards them. How great then is the necessity for the lightest, softest acting, replete with the genuine spirit and tact of comedy and mobile in the utmost degree to give expression to the constantly varying details of the text. Such an actor is Mr. Alfred Wigao, and all the less serious passages of the play aro lit up by his lively, gay, and brilliant idiosyncrasy. But this, though an important element in his impersonation, is, after all, a mere fringe to it ; for the essence of Hamlet is, of course, his great sorrow and his overmastering impulse of re venge. Whatever may be his passing occupa tion or subject of converse at the mention or thought of his father's death, he must besome ex cited to the verge of losing self-control ; and, of course, the more exciting incidents of the play of necessity plunge him into almost limitless frenzy. Here, then, we perceive two requirements for the actor of Hamlet almost equally imperative. In one , Mr. Wigan is not yet what he might be. The' other he possesses more remarkably than perhaps any other Hamlet. At the close of the piece he exhibited a free abandon of grief which would have raised the soliloquy in the secend act very moon in our opinion, but as a rule the tumultously emotional passages were not given with sufficient power. Be. the more subtle effects of voice and face in passages less directly concernin g his father's death end its con sequences were produced with a vigour, an intensity, and a thrillingness which we do not remember to have seen equalled. In the middle of another person's. speech some fur-off allusion woula suffice to bring into Mr. Wigan's face an expression of wonderful agony and perplexity, find the modifications of his voice and accentuation under various degrees of mental suffering are exceedingly fine. We will not eater into details. IT.th this key to the spirit of the performance our readers may easily obtain by glancing at the play a fair idea of the manner in which each portion of it was carried out. The fifth act was a noble culminaticn. Mr.Wigan'S fencing was splendid, and his visible suffering from his wound, and the various Beta; s of his final conversation with those about him, contained what we consider • a we:c.ime importation from that French school of melodrama in which Mr. Wigan has long been a celebrated licentiate, Altogether his Hamlet is exceedingly fine and powerful, and that on the first attempt he should attain such a high point of excellence is proof how thorough master he is of everything connected with his art.' FOUND DROWNED.—An inquest was hold 0 11 Saturday evening last, at the lied Lion, Wharton , Leominster, before Mr. Lanwarne, coroner, upon the bed? of Mr James Skeggs, of No. 3, Surrey.place, Wandsworth" road, London. From what transpired before the coroners it appeared that the deceased, in company with his wife , loft London about three weeks or a month ago upon a Vi sit to his father•in-law, Mr Speake, of Cheney Longville, Shropshire. On the evening of the sth of the present mohth• he was missed from Cheney, and on its being known that be had about £lO in his possession, and also a handsome O a watch and chain, some fears were entertained that he had become the victim of foul treatment. Bills were circulated and a reward offered for any information respecting him' The discovery of a blue velvet cap upon the bank of th e river Lugg, about two miles below Leominster, and the same distance from the spot where the body of Count de Vytzlit was found last year, led to the supposition that the body might be in the Lugg. Drags and boats were abtained, but all efforts were fruitless till Friday morning last. The men then employed in dragging for the body were resting an Ford's bridge, when looking in the direction of the water they saw what appeared to be the body of a man gently fi)ating down the stream. It was at once identified as the body of Mr Skegge. Tilt - re was found upon the b about Sti or £7 in gold and a gold watch and chain 16 bore no marks of violence. Ihero was no evidence producvd beret° the coroner to show how deceased got in the river. verdict was pronounced of "Found dlovrned,"